Property Solicitors on the Costa del Sol
Buying or selling along the Málaga coast — from Estepona and Marbella through Fuengirola, Mijas and Benalmádena to Málaga city? We are independent English-speaking property lawyers who act only for you, with full due diligence, contracts and completion on villas, gated resorts and off-plan, in plain English.
Spain's Most International Property Market
The Costa del Sol stretches the length of the Málaga coast — Estepona, Marbella, Fuengirola, Mijas, Benalmádena and the city of Málaga itself — and it is one of the largest and most international property markets in Spain. Buyers come from across the UK, Europe, Scandinavia and the Middle East, much of the stock is luxury villas, gated communities and off-plan resort developments, and a very large share of purchasers complete remotely from abroad.
That combination of high values, new-build resort product and non-resident buyers raises the stakes on the legal side. A problem that would cost a few thousand euros to fix elsewhere can run far higher here — which is why an independent property lawyer who acts only for you, never for the agent or developer, matters across the whole coast. For Marbella specifically, see our dedicated property solicitor in Marbella page.
Due Diligence for a Costa del Sol Purchase
Every purchase we handle is built on the same foundation: confirm what you are buying before any money is committed — wherever on the coast it sits.
Title & ownership
The nota simple from the Land Registry, the chain of title, and confirmation the seller can sell — plus any charges, embargoes or old mortgages that must be cleared before completion.
Licences & planning
Building and first-occupation licences, the cédula, and whether any part of a villa — a pool house, an extension, a guest annexe — was built without permission and needs legalising. Common in the inland hills of Mijas and Estepona.
Community & debts
For apartments and resort homes in Fuengirola, Benalmádena and the gated developments, the community of owners' accounts, any special levies, and confirmation that IBI, utilities and fees are paid up to completion.
Off-plan protection
For new build, the developer's licences, the bank guarantee or insurance over your stage payments, and a contract reviewed before you sign rather than after. See our off-plan guidance.
Beachfront & coast
For frontline property, the Coastal Law (Ley de Costas) position — whether the home is affected by the public-domain line or a protection easement. More on beachfront property.
The right tax base
Modelling your real purchase tax against the valor de referencia, so the bill that lands after completion is one you have already planned for — particularly important for non-resident buyers.
One Firm, Entirely on Your Side
From the first reservation through to the registered title in your name, you work with a named lawyer who keeps you informed at every stage and explains each document in plain English before you sign anything. We coordinate the notary, handle the tax filings, and register the property — and where you are abroad, we can complete the whole purchase for you under a Power of Attorney without you flying out. Given how many Costa del Sol buyers are non-resident, remote completion is something we handle routinely.
Our team is made up of bar-registered solicitors and legal specialists, and we take no referral fees from agents or developers. We quote our fee in writing before you commit, so there are no commission-driven surprises and no open-ended billing. Where a matter goes beyond a standard purchase, we will tell you what is involved and quote for it — extras may apply, but never without your say-so.
A Coast of Many Markets
The Costa del Sol is not a single market but several, and the legal focus shifts as you move along it. Estepona has grown quickly with new resort and frontline-beach developments, where off-plan protection and Coastal Law checks dominate. Marbella remains the high-value heart of the coast — villas on the Golden Mile, Sierra Blanca and Nueva Andalucía — and has its own dedicated property solicitor page. Mijas combines coastal apartments at La Cala with inland villas in Mijas Pueblo and the hills, where rustic-land planning needs careful handling.
Fuengirola and Benalmádena are dense apartment markets popular with holiday-let buyers, where community accounts, tourist-licence rules and building licences are the central checks. Málaga city itself has become one of Spain's most dynamic urban markets, with renovated apartments in the historic centre, new developments around Soho and the port, and a strong rental demand that makes the tax and licensing position particularly important. Wherever you are buying along this coast, the underlying work is the same — confirm the title, the licences and the debts, protect your money, and get the tax right — but the specific risks change town by town, which is why a lawyer who knows the whole coast is worth having.
Related Property Services
Independent Lawyer for Buyers
Why your own lawyer — not the agent's — protects a Marbella purchase.
Spanish Wills
A Spanish will to sit alongside the property you own here.
Power of Attorney
Complete your Marbella purchase remotely, without flying out.
Off-Plan Property Purchase
Deposits, bank guarantees and developer contracts on new build.
Beachfront Property
The Coastal Law checks frontline Marbella homes need.
Property Legal Services
Our full range of property legal support across Spain.
Property Solicitors on the Costa del Sol — Your Questions
There is no legal requirement, but for a Costa del Sol purchase it is strongly advisable. An independent solicitor verifies the title, licences and debts, reviews every contract before you sign, and protects your deposit and stage payments. Using the agent's or developer's recommended lawyer creates a conflict of interest — they do not act for you.
We act for buyers and sellers the length of the Málaga coast — Estepona, Marbella, Fuengirola, Mijas, Benalmádena and Málaga city — as well as the inland villages and nationwide in Spain. For Marbella specifically we have a dedicated page, but the same independent service applies wherever on the coast you are buying.
Yes. We act only for the client who instructs us and take no referral fees from agents or developers. Our advice is shaped by your interests alone — which is exactly what you want when you are committing a large sum in a market where most parties are paid to close the deal.
Yes, and this is one of the areas where independent legal cover matters most. We check the developer's licences, confirm your stage payments are protected by a bank guarantee or insurance, review the developer's contract before you sign, and hold them to the completion terms. New build along this coast — especially around Estepona — is a common source of disputes that good legal work prevents.
Yes. With a Power of Attorney granted to our team, we can complete the entire purchase on your behalf — attending the notary, signing the deed, and registering the property in your name — without you needing to fly out. Many of our international buyers along the coast complete remotely.
The most frequent is unlicensed building work — a pool, basement, annexe or terrace enclosure added without a licence, which can need legalising. This is especially common on inland and semi-rustic plots behind Mijas and Estepona. Others include undisclosed charges, boundary discrepancies, and complex ownership through companies. We catch these during due diligence, before you are committed.
We quote our fee in writing before you instruct us, based on the specific transaction, with no referral commissions and no hourly surprises. Third-party costs — notary, registry, taxes — are separate and paid to the relevant institutions. For anything beyond a standard purchase we will explain the scope and quote for it; extras may apply.
Yes. We prepare and review the sale contracts, assemble the documentation a buyer's lawyer will require, handle the 3% retention and capital gains position for non-resident sellers, coordinate any mortgage cancellation, and manage completion at the notary so the sale runs smoothly.
Frontline property needs an extra check against the Coastal Law (Ley de Costas). We confirm whether the home is affected by the maritime-terrestrial public domain or a protection easement, both of which can restrict ownership and use, before you commit. This matters along the newer frontline developments at Estepona and Fuengirola in particular.
Entirely. Our team is English-speaking and we explain every contract and document in plain English. You will never sign something in Spanish that has not been clearly explained to you first.
Buying or Selling on the Costa del Sol?
Tell us about the property and your situation, and we will explain exactly how we would protect you — with a clear written quote before any work begins. Independent, English-speaking, acting only for you.
The information on this page is general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Spanish property, tax and coastal legislation changes over time and varies by region and municipality. Always obtain advice on your specific property and circumstances before acting. Platinum Legal Spain is an independent English-speaking legal practice acting for property buyers and sellers across the Costa del Sol and throughout Spain.